Expansion arbor



March 3, 1953 w. F. KLEMM EXPANSION ARBOR Filed Sept. 5. 1946 5g: .df/Ms v @MNT 2 SHEETS--SHEET l March 3, 1953 w. F. KLEMM 2,630,039

EXPANSION ARBOR Filed Sept. 3, 1946 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 IN VEN TOR.

Patented Mar. 3, 19,53

UNITED 1 STATES PATENT OFFICE EXP-ANSION ARBOR I William F. Klemm, Detroit, Mich. Application September`3, 1946, Serial No. 694,653

Y 5 claims.' (o1. riz- 44) particularly to an arbor having a hollow body filled with asubstance which transfers pressure to produce uniform expansion of the body.

The arbor of the present invention embodies a4 corrugated type of tube having end plugs sealed thereto and provided on the interior withroil,v rubber pellets, or other substance by which a uniform outward pressure is produced for expanding" l in the ends of the plugs so that the arbor may be supported between a pair of centers of a machinel One of the heads is provided with means for ap-w the tube Wall. Countersunk centers are provided plying a pressure to the material contained within the hollow interior of the 'arbor for producing. a uniformly distributed force for expanding` the'. body thereof. The pressure applying means may.

be disposed in extension of the countersunk bore,

or may project laterally thereof, or may be a.

plunger which is actuated by the centers when being advanced toward each other to support the arbor. A tapered shank may be provided on one of the plugs in place of the center so that the arbor may be retained on a mandrel having a tapered aperture. A sleeve may be secured at a predetermined point on the arbor for thepurlpose of locating the workpiece to have it accurately positioned relative t0 the tool which is to operate thereon, l

Accordingly, the main objects of the invention are: to provide an expansible arbor having a thin corrugated-like wall containing a pressure trans"- ferring substance by which the arbor is expanded and contracted; to provide an arbor made from a corrugated type of tube sealed at each end by a plug containing a countersunk center by which the arbor issupported, having a substantially noncompressible material therein .on which-1a pressure applying element operates to produce,

the expansion and contraction of the tube pori tion; to provide on the axis of a hollow arbor containing a pressure transferring medium a means for applying a pressure to the medium for procuring the expansion of the arbor either directly by the use of a tool or by the pressure exerted by centers on which the arbor is supported; and,

in general, to provide an arbor which is simple j iny construction, uniform in expansion and ecolustrated in Fig. 1, showing a different form of the invention;

Fig. 4 is a view of structure, similar to that illustrated in Fig. 3, showing a further form which the invention may assume;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view of structure, similar to that illustrated in Fig. 3, showing a further form of the invention;

Fig. 6 is a sectional view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 5, taken on the line 6 5 thereof; Fig. 7 is a sectional View of structure, similar to that illustrated in Fig. l, showing a still further form which the invention may assume; Fig. 8 is a sectional view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 7, taken on the line 8`8 thereof;

Fig. 9 is a view of structure similar to that illustrated in Fig. 7, showing a further form of the invention, and

Fig. 10 is a sectional view of the structure illustrated in Fig, 9, taken on the line Ill-I0 thereof. Referring to Figs. l and 2, the expansion arbor therein illustrated comprises a tubular central portion I0 having offset portions II inwardly of the ends to be disposed between portions I2 having arcuate surfaces which, if joined, would form a true cylinder. The cylindrical ends I3 extend over shouldered ends I 4 of end plugs I5 and I6 which are connected together in unit relation by the threaded connection 20. The end plug I5 is provided with a countersunk center II for receiving a center I8 of a machine on which the arbor is supported. The ends I3 of the tubular element III are soldered, welded, brazed or otherwise sealed to the connected plugs I5 and I6.

The plug I6 has an enlarged threaded aperture I9 for receiving a threaded projection 2I on a or may not be threaded to the aperture in the center of the threaded projection 2l. The screw 26 in the aperture 21 is sealed against the passage of liquid or other substance by the packing material 25 but has its end in lcontact therewith through the pluralityof passageways 30.

The screw 26 is adjusted inwardly to apply pressure to the material 32 which distributes the pressure uniformly in all directions to exert a uniform radi-al force on the tube I0 to cause the arcuate portions I2 thereof to expand radially equal amounts outwardly of the arbor axis. This radia1 expansion produces the clamping of a workpiece, such as the workpiece 33 shown in broken lines, to the arbor so that when the arbor is mounted between the centers I8 and 2l the workpiece will be xed thereto. `The unit relation of the end plugs I5 and I6 provided by the threaded connection 2U prevents any end force from being applied to the tubular portion I9 of the arbor. After the operation has been completed upon the workpiece, the withdrawal of the screw 26 from the interior 3I of the arbor will remove the pressure on the substance 32 to permit the arcuate portions I2 thereof to collapse, thereby to release the workpiece 33 and permit a new workpiece to be placed thereon.

A cylindrical shouldering element .34l is illusy trated as being xed to the arbor by a screw 35 for the purpose of accurately positioning the workpiece 33 thereon relative to a tool which is to operate thereon. The workpiece is slid over the end of the arbor having the plug I5 therein until it rests against the shouldering element 34,y

after which the screw 26 is adjusted inwardly to expand the arbor into engagement with the workpiece so that it is accurately positioned relative to the tool when supported in the centers I8 and 2 I.

Referring to Fig. 3, a further form of the invention is illustrated, that wherein a plug 36. is secured to the end Vof the tube I in place of the plug I6. 'Ihe plug 36 has a threaded projecting end 31 on which a nut 38 is screwed to form a packing gland when compressing the packing material 33 about a stem 4I. The stern 4I is provided with a head 42, having a recessed center 43 therein in position to be engaged bythe center 2I. The stem extends through an aperture 44 in the plug 36 and through an aperture 45 in the nut 38. The inner end of the stem 4 I is illustrated as being projected within the hollow interior 3| of the arbor for applying a pressure to the material 32 contained therein for expand'- ing the arcuate portions I2 thereof, The projecj tion of the stem 4I is produced by the pressure applied between the two centers I8 and 2| as illustrated', that wherein the plug I5 has a plug' 41 substituted therefor. The plug 41 has a tapered shank 48 of conventional form which registers in the tapered recess of a mandrel 49. In this arrangement the arbor is at all times supported in the machine so that it isY only necessary to operate a screw 26 or stem 4I to expand and contract the central tubular portion of the arbor to clamp or release the workpiece. It is to be understood that the expanding means need notA be disposed on the axis of the arbor but may be positioned in any manner to be movable into and out of the hollow interior 3I for applying and removing a pressure to and from lthe material 32 Upon separating the centers I8 and I9.,

contained therein. It is also to be understood that the shouldering element 34 may also be employed on other types of tools such as those illustrated in Figs, 3 and 4 and that the particular tools. herein illustrated are shown more as a way of example instead of having the tool limited to the specific embodiments illustrated. The tubey degree of resiliency so that when equal pressures;

are appliedv thereon. some portions may vexpand more readily than others, this condition can be corrected in the following manner. In case an arbor is to be constructed for a workpiece having an aperture vof predetermined diameter, the tubular portion thereof may be expanded to a position slightly beyond the diameter and mounted on the centers of the grinding machine which ac- .curately grinds the tubular portion to the diameter of the workpiece. Thereafter, when the pressure' is removed from the material 32 on the interior of the arbor, the arbor will collapse so that the workpiece may be placed thereover, and when the arbor is-again expanded, assurance is had that the-.expanded diameter will accurately locate the center of the workpiece on the center of the countersunk centers I1 and I9 of the arbor.

Referring to Fig. 5, 4the form of the invention therein illustrated comprises an expansible tube I0 having a'plug I5 in one end thereof and a plug 45 disposed in the opposite end thereof. The plugl 45 contains an aperture 46 in which a plunger 41 is longitudinally movable. A head 48 has a threaded projection 49 which threads into an aperture 5I in the end of the plug 45 in aligned relation with the aperture 46. The threaded projection 49 on the head 48 forms with the aperture in thev plug 45 a packing gland for compressing the packing material 52 about the plunger 41. The projection 46 is provided with an aperture 55 through which the plunger 41 extends into an aperture 55 disposed at right angles to and intersecting thel aperture 55. A plunger 51 is disposed within the aperture 56 having a sloping face 58 matable with a sloping face 59 on the end of the plunger 41. A manually adjustable collar 6| is mounted on the head 48 for movement in rotation thereon; Within the collar 6I', a cam slot E2 is provided, engageable with the endv of the plunger 51 opposite to that having the sloping face 58.

By rotating the adjustable collar 6I, the plunger 41 is moved toward or away from the plunger 41 and, due to the sloping relationships of the faces 58 and 59 thereof, the plunger 41 is moved longitudinally to the right, as viewed in the figure, for applying pressure on the material within the tube I) for expanding the tube. When the ad*- justable collar 6I is rotated in the opposite direction, the pressure on the material within the tube` I0 produces the retraction of the plungers 41 and 51 to the degree permitted by the amount of reverse rotation of the adjustable collar 6I. The adjustable collar 6I is herein illustrated as being hexagonal in shapeso that a standard type of tool may be employed for applying substantial pressure to the material within the tube for procuring its expansion. It is to be understood that other forms or special types of tools may be utilized for applying the pressure to the collar and the material.

Referring to Figs. '7 and 8`, the expanding arbor therein illustrated'embodies an end plug 65 having a body portion 66 of reduced diameter extending therefrom for projecting within an aperture 61 of an end plug 68. A sinuous tubular spring element 69 of the shape of a Sylphon has one cylindrical projecting end 1I brazed or otherwise secured to the plug 65 while the cylindrical projection.12 on the opposite end extending within a slot 13 in the end of the plug 68 is rigidly secured byn brazing or other suitable process. The plug '68 is provided with a threaded aperture 14 in which va threaded screw 15 is disposed having the end in engagement with the end of the body portion 66 on the plug 65. By adjusting the screw 15 within the threaded aperture 74, the plug 68 is moved relative to the plug 65 to thereby stretch the spring element 69 and reduce its diameter. A workpiece may then be inserted over the spring element, after which the screw I5 is retracted to permit the plugs 68 and 65 to move toward each other and the spring element 69 to expand into engagement with the wall of the bore of the workpiece disposed thereover. A substantial radial force is produced by the spring element 69 on the internal wall of the bore of the workpiece which securely retains the workpiece in fixed relation to the arbor against rotation relative thereto.

Referring to Figs. 9 and 10, a still further form of the invention is illustrated, that wherein a shank portion 8| of a tool has a reduced end portion 82 containing a central aperture 83 forming a wall portion 84 which projects within an annular slot 85 in an end plug 86. The shank portion 8| is provided with a shoulder 81 to which one end of the spring element 69 is secured, the opposite end being secured to the plug 86 in a manner simllar to that illustrated in Figs. '7 and 8. Notches 88 are provided on the inner wall of the aperture 83 in which sealing rings 89 are disposed in position to form a seal with the wall of the central portion 9| of the plug 8'6, which functions as a piston within the aperture 83.

A passageway 92 extends through the shank 8| and at its reduced end portion 82 is in communication with a conduit 93 which is threaded or otherwise secured to the end of the shank 8 I. The shank is supported in an arbor in the usual manner while a plug 86 has a countersunk center supported on a center I8 after the workpiece is secured on the arbor. When a fluid is introduced into the passageway 92 and the aperture 83, the plug 86 is moved outwardly on the reduced end portion 82 of the shank 8| and the spring element 69 is elongated and contracted. A workpiece may be inserted over the contracted arbor and the fluid pressure on the plug 86 is released, permitting the contraction of the spring 69 and its radial expansion into engagement with the wall of the bore of the workpiece. Thereafter the center I8 is advanced into engagement with the countersunk center I1 of the plug.

The element 34, illustrated in Fig. 1, may be applied to the shoulder 81 of the shank 8| for positioning the workpiece, in the same manner as described with relation to the structure of Fig. 1. It is to be understood that the shouldering element 34 may be applied to any of the tools herein illustrated and described.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that an arbor has been provided which is readily expanded by the slight adjustment of an element to engage a workpiece with a substantial pressure and to accurately locate the workpiece on the center of the arbor. The workpiece may be accurately positioned along the length of the arbor by a locating shoulder which is attachable thereto. While various means of applying a pressure to the material within the hollow interior of the arbor are illustrated, it is to be understood that the invention contemplates the use of means, other than those shown, located in any convenient manner while being capable of adjustment into and out of the hollow interior of the arbor for producing its expansion and retraction.

What is claimed is:

1. An arbor for supporting a workpiece including, in combination, an annular corrugated tube forming a spring element, a plug secured to each end of said spring element and interengaging each other within the tube in piston and cylinder relation, one of said plugs having a passageway leading to saidV cylinder for conducting a fluid under pressure thereto for contracting said spring element which expands to engage a workpiece when the pressure is relieved.

2. An arbor for supporting a workpiece including, in combination, a tubular element having cylinder end portions and a central corrugated portion spacing the end portions a predetermined distance apart in the normal position of the corrugated portion and which permits the end portions to be moved apart, plugs disposed in. telescoped relation within the element and secured in the cylindrical ends thereof in sealed relation thereto and provided with means by which the arbor is supported with the workpiece in machinable position, and means for moving said plugs away from each other to decrease the diameter of the corrugated portion of said tubular element.

3. An arbor for supporting a workpiece including, in combination, an annular corrugated tube which is extensible longitudinally of its length, means for sealing each end of the tube and disposed in engagement with each other within said tube, and means applied between said sealing means within the tube for relatively moving said sealing means apart while maintained in engagement for lengthening the tube and reducing the diameter thereof.

4. An arbor for supporting a workpiece including, in combination, an annular corrugated tube forming a springlike element when unstressed, a plug secured to each end of said springlike element and disposed in engagement with each other within said tube, and means relatively moving said plugs axially of said tube for lengthening said springlike element and reducing its diameter While maintaining the plugs and element in axial alignment.

5. An arbor for supporting a workpiece including, in combination, an annular corrugated thin-walled tube forming a springlike element when unstressed, a plug secured to each end of said springlike element and disposed in telescoped slidable engagement with each other therewithin, and means for relatively moving said plugs axially of said element while in engagement with each other for lengthening said element and reducing its diameter.

WILLIAM F. KLEMM.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the ille of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 190,579 Guild May 8, 1877 196,867 Besnard Nov. 6, 1877 307,749 Delano Nov. 11, 1884 322,702 Ehrlich July 21, 1885 735,402 North Aug. 4, 1903 1,033,730 Peacock July 23, 1912 1,365,719 Ogden Jan. 18, 1921 1,818,042 Christman Aug. 11, 1931 1,825,925 Shenk Oct. 6, 1931 2,021,259 Magnuson Nov. 19, 1935 2,146,590 Newell Feb. 7, 1939 2,318,838 Conradson May 11, 1943 2,334,954 Pioch Nov. 23, 1943 2,353,248 Lamb July 11, 1944 2,410,493 Gideon Nov. 5, 1946 2,425,928 Emerson Aug. 19, 1947 

